I am so getting these posts out of order! Sorry about that!
On 12/26 we took an excursion to Petra, in Jordan. Petra is an ancient city literally carved into the walls of a canyon located in the Rift Valley, about 80 kilometers south of the northern shores of the Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba). It was occupied by many civilizations, but the most famous were the Nabataeans, who occupied and developed the city for about six centuries before the birth of Christ. Bob and I both took a huge amount of pictures, and I've tried to narrow them down to the best 36 (sorry)! It's such an amazing place that it was hard to decide which pictures not to publish!
We were picked up at our hotel at 7:00 in the morning to cross the Israel-Jordan border. We're not sure what the problem was, but it took us TWO HOURS to get stamped out of Israel. In retrospect, it was probably because the Israeli military actions against Hamas were starting then and they were tightening up the border crossings. On the other side, it took about five minutes to get into Jordan!
I was very impressed with what I saw of Jordan, and I'd like for us to have the time to go back someday to see more of the country. It is one of the cleanest countries I've been to in that part of the world, and everyone, and I mean everyone, speaks English, which was very nice for us. Of course, many speak German, Russian, Italian, French and dozens of other languages also.
We passed the two hours at the border talking with a retired U.S. Army colonel and his family. The gent (standing next to me in the hat) was actually born and raised in Danville, Illinois!
Obviously this is the border entrance to Jordan from Israel at the Elait (Israel) - Aqaba (Jordan) crossing.
This was a rest stop on the way to Petra.
Approaching Petra, you see Aaron's Mountain, or Jabal Harun. There's a tiny white dot in the picture at the top of the mountain, which is a 12th century mosque. The site of Aaron's (brother of Moses) tomb is also on this mountain. Incidentally, Joe, this is the mountain your name came from!
HEY WENDY! - is this Jordanian guy a friend of yours? (Note the sweatshirt).
This is the beginning of the trail to the valley. The next several photos are along that trail. The canyon trail from the top to the entrance to the valley is a little over two kilometers.
Along the top trail there are caves, petrogyphs and rock carvings. We were told that caves with carvings over the entrances were tombs, and caves without carvings were residences.
This is the start of the hike through the canyon to the temple and city.
A lot of people take buggies to get to and from the temple/city site.
Some of the passages are very narrow.
This shot was taken from the ground looking up.
Another, where the trail widens a bit.
Indiana Bob and his wife.
Valley of the Gods in Colorado Springs has Kissing Camels, Petra Canyon has Elephant Rock!
Bob in front of a water spillway. There are also conduits for water carved into each side of the floor of the trail, sort of like wide gutters, all the way down to the valley.
This is what it looks like 30 feet out from the temple valley.
About 10 feet out from the temple valley.
And then, there it is carved into the side of the canyon wall. Amazing. This is called the treasury.
The next several shots are more temples, tombs and dwellings.
And finally, our transportation back up the trail to the starting point!
